Please explain the difference between "brain" and "mind" in the referenced article, and how any brain activity that is somehow undesirable could not be called a "chemical imbalance".

The entire world is just one big chemical reaction, so really everything is caused by chemical imbalances.

Ask yourself: Why should any psychiatrist ever tell somebody to see a psychologist for counseling if "all" that depression is about were "chemical imbalances"? Those imbalances, in turn, can have reasons. Grief. Frustration. Stress...

@DevSolar - So someone with a genetic disease of the muscles would not benefit from consulting with a physical therapist?

@DanielRHicks: I don't quite see how you constructed that statement. The question as asked is a bit like, "is poor physical condition caused by a lack of exercise and poor food?". Yes. But what's the reason for that lack of exercise and the poor food? Is the cure really as simple as "eat better food and work out"? If said to a homeless, a prisioner, a refugee? Same with "chemical imbalance". Sometimes just getting that imbalance fixed, by changed habits or medication, might fix the problem. Usually, though, there is a root cause for the imbalance, and you would only fight symptoms.

@DevSolar - The nervous system runs on chemicals. If a neuron fails to fire when it should (or fires when it shouldn't), that is arguably due to a "chemical imbalance". And if counseling of some sort can correct this problem then that counseling is arguably "correcting" a chemical imbalance.

@DanielRHicks: If an infection gives you a fever, you can get medication against the fever and/or the infection causing the fever. Both make you feel better, but the cause for you feeling bad would be the infection, not the fever. Saying "it's a fever" would be correct, but not the whole story. And one medication would be suppressing the symptoms while not actually curing the cause.

@DevSolar - The infection is due to drinking polluted water. The pollution is due to corrupt management in the city water department. The corruption is due to political manipulation. The political manipulation is due to wealthy individuals "buying" politicians. The wealth is due to laws that greatly favor certain individuals. The laws are due to big oil companies "owning" Congress. Where do you stop?

@DanielRHicks: Are you trying to wind me up, or really not getting my point? Assume I have a traumatic experience, after which I suffer from depression. The depression might (or might not) be a chemical imbalance in my organism. Saying "yes" to the title of this question would more or less equate to "treat the imballance", i.e. "take these pills and don't be a whimp" (something that depressed people can attest is the contrary of helpful); instead of getting at the cause (helping the patient cope with the trauma, helping him with the imbalance through medication as needed until then).

(ctd.) The issue I have here is that oversimplifying "layman solutions" to depression ("hey, I heard of these pills", or "man up, it's just body chemistry") are so harmful to a patient as to be bordering on negligent injury (or however you call Körperverletzung in English).

@DevSolar - I'm saying that you're creating a false distinction between chemistry and human thought.

@DanielRHicks: And I am saying that you are creating a false equalization between human thought and chemistry. Let's agree to disagree, this isn't the place to solve it.

@DevSolar - How could you have human thought without chemistry? You are the one who insists on repeating this false claim.

@DanielRHicks: I did not say that human thought does not involve chemistry. I am saying that there are external and internal influences affecting our brain chemistry (and thought processes), i.e. there is more to it than "just take these pills".

@DevSolar - Is "take these pills" an external or internal influence?

@DanielRHicks: At this point you are quite obviously trolling.

@DevSolar - That's because I smell something fishy.

@DanielRHicks: Then out with it, because you are smelling something that isn't there. Just the take of someone who's had first and close second-hand experience with depression, people suffering from depression, causes and triggers for said depressions, and professionals trying to deal with those depressions, both chemical and therapeutic. Anyway, I've flagged this whole "thread", as it is very much OT.